Former Lobo Mathis sets a high bar for others taken late into NFL Draft

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – He was the University of New Mexico’s first consensus All American in football heading into the NFL Draft back in 1990. Terance Mathis was also the first division one player to have more than 250 receptions, 4,000 receiving yards and 6,000 all-purpose yards. It still was not enough to get him drafted on the first day.

“I had a draft party and didn’t get drafted where I thought I was going to get drafted, first three rounds,” said Mathis. “I ended up getting drafted the second day. You know what I tell you young Lobo guys getting ready for the draft, it’s about, you know, just getting there.” The New York Jets took Mathis in the sixth round. It was the beginning of a career that would last 12 years in the league with three different teams. Mathis was an All-Pro and made the Pro Bowl in 1994. He had 8,809 receiving yards and 63 touchdowns during his career.

He had the most success with the Atlanta Falcons where he played from 1994 to 2001. Mathis and the Falcons won the NFC Championship in 1998, leading to a berth in the Super Bowl. “It was one of those things were, you know, as a kid you played in the backyard and pretended you were playing in the Super Bowl and I had an opportunity to do that and what a fun, fun time,” said Mathis.

Mathis is currently head football coach at Pinecrest Academy in Cummins, Georgia.

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